Michael Whatley

Why they say you should vote for them

The candidate's own case to voters, summarized from their campaign and public statements.

• Says he will work to advance President Trump's "America First agenda" in the Senate and describes himself as Trump's endorsed candidate.[1],[4]
• Calls keeping children and communities safe "the number one priority" and says his first act as a senator would be to introduce a federal version of North Carolina's Iryna's Law.[3]
• Says the way to raise take-home pay and create jobs is to cut taxes, and that he has "never seen a tax that I didn't want to cut."[5]
• Points to his record as state and national party chair on voter registration, get-out-the-vote efforts and election integrity.[1]
• Says he has worked with the Trump administration to deliver Hurricane Helene recovery aid and was named to Trump's FEMA Review Council.[1]

Background

• Chair, Republican National Committee · 2024–2025[2],[6]
• General counsel, Republican National Committee · 2023–2024[6]
• Chair, North Carolina Republican Party · 2019–2024[2],[6],[7]
• Leader of the energy, environment and agriculture transition teams, Trump presidential transition · 2016–2017[2],[4]
• Partner at HBW Resources (lobbying firm with oil and gas clients); executive vice president, Consumer Energy Alliance, Private sector · Starting 2007–2008[6]
• Chief of staff to U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, U.S. Senate · From 2004[2],[6]
• Deputy assistant secretary, U.S. Department of Energy (George W. Bush administration) · Early 2000s[4],[6]

Education

• B.A. in History (1991), University of North Carolina at Charlotte[2],[6]
• M.A. in Religion (1993), Wake Forest University[2],[6]
• Master's in Theology (1994) and J.D. (1997), University of Notre Dame[2],[4],[6]

Where they stand

• Economy & Jobs
  Says economic strength depends on "reliable, affordable energy" and reducing federal spending, and backs trade, tax and regulatory policies aimed at North Carolina manufacturers, small businesses and farmers. In 2025, as RNC chair, defended Trump's tariffs as part of a strategy to bring manufacturing back to the U.S.[1],[11],[9]
• Taxes
  Supports the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act, including extending the 2017 middle-class tax cuts and the tax breaks on tips, overtime and Social Security income.[10],[5]
• Health Care
  Defended the 2025 law's Medicaid changes, saying, "We need to eliminate waste, fraud and abuse."[10]
• Energy & Environment
  Calls for "unleashing American energy" to achieve energy independence, and credits increased U.S. production under Trump with limiting gas-price shocks.[1],[5]
• Immigration
  Says he is "100% supportive" of President Trump securing the border and deporting immigrants in the country illegally who have committed crimes. In April 2025, asked about possible shortages of visa workers in agriculture, said the current stage of immigration enforcement should be viewed as "phase one."[1],[9]
• Public Safety
  Proposes a federal version of North Carolina's Iryna's Law, which limits pretrial release for violent offenders; has not detailed what the federal version would include. Says he wants policies that put more police on the street, pay them better and keep violent offenders in jail; criticizes cashless bail and expanded pretrial release.[3],[1]
• Abortion
  Lists "protecting life" among the conservative values he says he will defend.[1]
• Guns
  Pledges to defend Second Amendment rights.[1]

Voting record

Michael Whatley has not held an office with a recorded voting record. See Background and Where they stand.

In their words